Wednesday, September 21, 2011

It's Where the Pets Go....

I rarely go to Petco.

It's kind of expensive and all the seasonal costumes and accessories for dogs tend to make me nervous (as in, I feel I should stock up on them despite not owning a dog).
Thought I was joking?

Based on what I saw, your dog will be trick or treating either as a pirate or a witch this Halloween.

I was there for a new litter box. Since it was for Charlie's cat Tito and no expense is too great for my first grand cat, I was there to check out the 2011 models but the cat section is n the back and there's a lot to see on your way there.

I don't like snakes but when I see them coiled up in small tanks under bright lights wearing resigned expressions on their faces, I get very depressed. And the countless cages with idiots hamsters frantically racing on their wheels also upset me because they so undeniably exemplify the futility of life.

As I passed the fish tanks, though I valiantly tried to suppress the memory, I had little choice but to relive buying my mother, in her older age, a small but fully equipped tank for her birthday.

It had a tiny, plastic castle, pretty blue gravel and a colorful pirate's chest which said "treasure" on it so the fish would know it wasn't for recyclables or anything other than their gold doubloons.

And, yes, it also had some fish.

As per the instructions of the odd, but very nice, Fish Boy, I taught my mother exactly how much and how often to feed them lest they "explode" (Fish Boy's word, not mine) from overfeeding but she absolutely did not believe me.
I learned that you cannot convince a woman who strongly connected food with love that the fish could be satisfied with a scant daily pinch of feathery flakes and they were dead in a week.
 
Yum.
As I approached the cat aisles, I passed an assortment of brushes, combs and grooming products for canines that would have made Vidal Sassoon need a Xanax, plus a salad bar set-up with dog treats that looked so delicious that I realized my mouth was watering.

I also encountered a real, live dog.

I always forget that pets are allowed in Petco. All alone, but focused and well-behaved, he appeared to be shopping.

In fact, I saw three dogs in total and, for some reason, became very disoriented. Just as I was getting my bearings, I met an actual ferret wearing a little vest.

In the arms of his owner, he appeared very relaxed as she scanned a large array of ferret supplies. The ferret and I made brief eye contact.

Finally, I found myself amidst the litter boxes.

There were electric, self-cleaning boxes for hundred of dollars, ones in the shape of igloos, ones with portals with swinging doors, ones with deodorizing inserts and ones so large that I could have comfortably used them, myself.
Hey, I wanted the igloo!

I chose a no-frills litter box for Tito and headed for the cashier, standing in line on the only open check-out in a store as a large as a football field...behind the woman and the ferret.

On the counter was the item she'd chosen. It was called "Ferret Sheen." The ferret looked very happy with the purchase.

It was then that I fully realized that I had entered a different world. I also think I developed a case of kennel cough while I was in there.

I wonder if I should go to the vet.
How it should be.

8 comments:

  1. It's been awhile since I went to Petco, but I finally made my way back there this weekend after we *drumroll* adopted a dog for Miss El (blog post to follow soon). And I dropped nearly $200 there for our new family member. It's another planet in there, for sure. I have never seen so many little dogs sitting on their little queen dog beds in the front section of the cart in a store in all of my life.

    Some people take better care of their dogs than their children, who were quietly following behind parents and dog in cart with their heads down.

    I've always loved the furry friends that I've been blessed to have in my life, but when I hear people complain about the bad habits their pets have, I often suspect these habits came about b/c they are treating their dogs like human babies instead of dogs. My dog does not want to be cradled and fed with a bottle. He wants to run beside me and play fetch. He does not want a diaper; he wants to pee freely on all of our trees and fence posts.

    I meant for my comments to sound funny, but I think I'm coming off as uptight and soapboxish.

    What I meant to say is: People are strange.

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  2. Petco is a horrible store there prices are marked up 80% and the quality is poor. They are a horrible company to work for I worked in the College Point store and was fired for saving 2 dogs running in the parking lot who broke their double leash. The mottos is "Petco where animals always come first" that is definitely not the case. Better off going to walmart for pet supplies great prices for all things cat and dog.

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  3. Right after I wrote this, I did a little research on Petco and read erally awful things about them. I'm sorry you were fired but it sounds like you certainly did the right thing---and I definitely go to Walmart for pet stuff from now on. Thanks for the comment and good luck!

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  4. I totally agree,Alicia. people are beyond strange.

    Good luck with your new family member. Your daughter must be so thrilled!! I look forward to the blog post. XO

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  5. I went to get cat food on the weekend. It was bring-your-pet-to-the-store day.
    I went past Llamas, one very tiny doggie, two HUGE doggies, two and a half HUGE cats (Maine Coone cats and kitten), wrinkly cats with no hair, lizards, fish, birds etc... when I found the cat biscuits and fought my way to the counter, I was served by a lovely girl with a large black rat perched on her shoulder.
    People are strange, but the best people are the ones who love animals (though the ones who dress their critters in 'cute' outfits bewilder me) :-)

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  6. Exploding fish and ferret sheen? What's next?

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  7. Llamas? How many llamas? Having a llama might be fun.
    Hmmmmm....

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  8. I wonder if "Ferret Sheen" might help withthe frizzies, Michele?

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